Method of making a joint between two components

ABSTRACT

A first and second component joint includes using a fastener having a first end, and a flange having a diameter greater than a tubular barrel portion. A second end having a second tubular barrel portion merges into a shoulder of a flange part having a greater diameter than the barrel portion. The first tubular barrel portion is deformed radially outwardly sandwiching the first component between the flange and the first barrel portion. The second end of the fastener is introduced through a hole in the second component by applying the second component to the first component so the shoulder of the flanged part abuts the second component spacing the second component from the first component. The fastener device is fastened to the second component by deforming the second tubular barrel portion radially outwardly sandwiching the second component between the shoulder and the tubular barrel portion.

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.09/647,607 filed Jan. 4, 2001, now abandoned, which is a 371 of PCTApplication No. PCT/EP99/02236 filed Apr. 1, 1999, and to German PatentApplication No. 198 15 407.0 filed Apr. 6, 1998.

The present invention relates to a fastener device which is or can befixed at its one end to a first component by means of a joint which canbe produced by a forming technique, preferably a riveted joint, andwhich has a receiving area configured or configurable to receive a bolt,a nut or another element, for example a bayonet part or a shaft. Thepresent invention further relates to a combination of such a fastenerdevice with one, two or three components and to a method of making ajoint between a first and a second component while utilizing such afastener device.

A fastener device of the kind initially mentioned is known from a numberof publications. European Patent 0 539 793, for example, discloses a nutelement which can be introduced in a form-locked and force-transmittingmanner into a component, in particular into a sheet metal part, by meansof a method termed clamping hole riveting. Piercing bolts are also knownfrom German patents P 30 03 908 and P 34 47 006 which can be inserted ina self-piercing manner into a component in the form of a sheet metalpart, with the features of shape, which form the so-called piercing andriveting section of the bolt element, being provided on the side of thehead remote from the shaft part of the bolt element, so that after thebolt element has been inserted into a component from one side, the shaftpart of the bolt element extends away from the sheet metal part on thisside.

Bolt elements are also known which can be inserted into a pre-punchedcomponent and can be fastened to the component in the region directlybelow the head of the bolt element by means of a joint which can be madeby a forming technique. Such bolt elements are described, for example,in German Patent Application P 44 10 475. However, they can also beexecuted in a self-piercing design such as is set forth in theapplicant's German Patent Application 195 35 537.7. With such so-calledEBF bolts or self-piercing EBF bolts, once the joint to the componenthas been made, the head of the bolt element is arranged on the one sideof the component and the shaft part with thread is located on the otherside of the component.

Generally, all elements from the product range of ProfilVerbindungstechnik GmbH & Co. KG, i.e. RND, RSN, HI, RSF, RSK, UM, RSUand FUN nut elements as well as EBF, SBK and SBF bolt elements, aresuitable for the present invention. Almost all fastener elements whichare known in the prior art for forming a joint by a forming technique toa component or a sheet metal part can also be used without any problemfor the purposes of the present invention.

The preamble of claim 1 of the present application, which relates to afastener device, basically covers all such fastener elements.

Reference is made to the following German patents and patentapplications with respect to further information on the differentfastener elements from the Profil company which are suitable for use inthe present invention and with respect to the methods of manufacture andinsertion which can be used: P 34 04 118, P 30 03 908, P 34 46 978, P 3447 006, P 35 24 306, P 36 10 675, P 38 35 566, P 34 48 219, P 42 14 717,P 35 83 663, P 42 31 715, P 34 39 583, P 689 08 903, P 691 01 491, P 4410 475, P 42 11 278, P 42 11 276, P 43 10 953, P 44 20 426, P 44 29 737,196 00 290.7, 195 35 537, 195 30 466, P 44 40 620, 196 47 831 and P 2947 179.2. A number of various other industrial property rights of ProfilVerbindungstechnik GmbH & Co. KG could also be named here.

All the above fastener elements are fastener elements which can beinserted into a sheet metal part, or optionally into a plurality ofsheet metal parts contacting one another, and which then permit thescrewing on of a further sheet metal part. The screwing on is carriedout by means of a bolt or a nut which is screwed into or onto a fastenerelement made as a nut element or as a bolt respectively.

There is an increasing need in the sheet metal processing industry, butalso in other industries, to screw a highly loaded component such as amounting for an axle or a door hinge of an automobile to anothercomponent, for example a hollow section made up of a plurality of sheetmetal parts, in such a way that an extremely stable attachment results.Such stable attachments can only be achieved for the production of suchhollow parts with a greater amount of effort, particularly in view ofthe trend towards thin sheet metals.

One possibility to improve the stability of the mounting is to insert aspacer tube between two components spaced from one another and toachieve the screw connection via the spacer tube. The two sheet metalparts coupled via the spacer tube reinforce one another in this way.Furthermore, movements of the spacer tube with respect to the one or theother sheet metal part are suppressed by the attachment of the spacertube at both ends, which is of benefit to the stability of theconnection to the screw-on part.

Such spacer tube connections, see, for example, DE C 39 36 376, have,however, previously only been realized using welding processes. However,this produces the disadvantage that the positional accuracy of the metalsheets relative to one another is very low and the, as a rule, highdynamic permanent stresses cannot be borne without difficulty by thewelded joints. Furthermore, the heat development during a weldingprocess is not compatible with the strength requirements whenhigh-strength, alloyed metal sheets are used.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a fastener devicewhich can be used without difficulty in conventional sheet metalworking, which can be realized at low cost and which allows a verystable attachment of a third component to a composite part comprisingthe first and second components and the fastener device.

In order to satisfy this object there is provided, in accordance withthe invention, a fastener device of the kind named initially which ischaracterized in that it is configured in a region spaced from the firstsaid end for attachment onto or into a second component. The spacedregion can be provided in this arrangement at the end of the fastenerdevice opposite the first said end. It can, however, also be at thecenter of the fastener device so that the other end of the fastenerdevice projects beyond the second component.

Various possibilities exist for the attachment of the fastener device tothe second component in the spaced region. For example, the spacedregion can advantageously be designed as a blind-rivet sleeve. It can,however, also be designed for attachment to the second component by aforming technique, with it finally also being possible, depending on thespecific embodiment, to design the spaced region such that it issuitable for welding or bonding to the second component.

The fastener device can be made in one piece or in a plurality of parts.The one piece design is, on the one hand, easy to handle, but has thedisadvantage that the length of the fastener device always has to beadapted to the respective purpose, which makes stock-keeping moreproblematic. A design using a plurality of parts, however, allows suchstock-keeping problems to be coped with—for example by the two ends ofthe fastener device being made by fastener elements available asstandard parts which can in each case be joined to the associated sheetmetal part by a forming technique, while a middle part termed a spacertube can be made in different lengths depending on the application.

Particularly preferred embodiments of the fastener device can be foundin the dependent claims 2 to 25.

Special combinations of the fastener device and sheet metal parts can befound in the further claims 26 to 31.

Methods of making a joint between a first and a second component whileutilizing the fastener device in accordance with the invention can befound in claims 32 to 38. The fastener devices in accordance with thepresent invention in particular have the following advantages:

-   -   they permit the first and second components (sheet metal parts        or moldings made of other materials) to be positioned with        respect to one another with low tolerances with regard to the        position and spacing of the moldings and thus form a kind of        gauge during the assembly of the corresponding components;    -   they serve as a nut or bolt element for the screwing on of        further components with heavy operating loads;    -   they serve to secure the angular position and—where required—the        security against being pressed out or rotated during assembly;    -   they take up operating loads, shear and pressure torque        statically and dynamically in each case;    -   the integrity of the fastener device is not a problem with the        multiple part version either, as the screw connection can be        made such that all elements of the fastener device are supported        by one another.

It is of particular advantage that the shearing, tensile and compressionforces as well as any torques, which have to be taken up at the end ofthe fastener device, can be taken up substantially better due to thelength of the fastener device and the reinforcing of the structure iteffects.

The invention will be described in more detail in the following withreference to embodiments and the drawings in which are shown:

FIG. 1 a partly sectioned view of a first embodiment of the fastenerdevice in accordance with the invention for an application with twocomponents made of sheet metal;

FIG. 2 the same embodiment as FIG. 1, but during the fastening of twocomponents to one another;

FIG. 3 the completed joint between the two components of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 a partly sectioned longitudinal view of a second embodiment of afastener device in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 5 a view of the fastener device of FIG. 4 partly sectioned in thelongitudinal direction for an application with two components made ofsheet metal;

FIG. 6 a representation similar to the lower part of FIG. 5 for anembodiment where the first component is made of two shaped sheet metalparts placed next to one another;

FIG. 7 a partly sectioned representation, similar to FIG. 5, but forthree different lengths of the fastener device in accordance with theinvention of FIG. 4, with the screwing on of a third componentsimultaneously being shown;

FIG. 8 a view partly sectioned in a longitudinal direction of apreferred embodiment in accordance with the invention of a fastenerdevice having a blind-rivet sleeve and a blind-rivet mandrel;

FIG. 9 a representation similar to FIG. 8, but after the insertion ofthe fastener device in accordance with the invention between twocomponents composed of sheet metal, with the situation prior to thetightening of the blind-rivet joint being shown on the left side and thesituation after the tightening of the blind-rivet joint on the rightside.

FIG. 10 a representation of the lower part of a fastener device inaccordance with the invention similar to FIG. 8, but in a slightlymodified embodiment;

FIG. 11 the lower part of the fastener device of FIG. 10 after insertioninto a shaped sheet metal part;

FIG. 12 a slightly modified embodiment of the fastener device of FIG. 8in a representation corresponding to FIG. 9;

FIG. 13 a view partly sectioned in a longitudinal direction of a furtherembodiment in accordance with the invention of a fastener device whichrepresents the preferred embodiment;

FIG. 14 a schematic representation of the fastener device of FIG. 13installed in two components;

FIGS. 15-21 representations similar to FIG. 7, but of modifiedembodiments of the fastener device in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 22 a representation sectioned in a longitudinal direction of athree-part fastener device in accordance with the invention after theinsertion into two components;

FIG. 23 a representation similar to FIG. 22, but in a sloped position ofthe fastener device; and

FIG. 24 a representation sectioned in a longitudinal direction of afurther embodiment in accordance with the invention of a fastenerdevice;

FIGS. 25A to 25D various manufacturing steps for the installation of afastener device in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 1 first shows a fastener device 10 in accordance with the inventionwhose first lower end 12 is fastened to a first component 14 in the formof a shaped sheet metal part via a joint 11 which can be made by aforming technique. The joint made by a forming technique was made inthis embodiment in accordance with German patent P 34 47 006. That is,the unitary fastener device 10 has a form at its lower first endcorresponding to the so-called SBF (piercing bolt with flange) design ofProfil Verbindungstechnik GmbH & Co. KG (hereinafter “Profil”) whichleads to the joint with the component 14 shown in FIG. 1 after piercingand riveting. The noses 16 extending in a radial direction and formingrotational security between the fastener device 10 and the firstcomponent 14 can also be seen from FIG. 1.

At its upper end 18 opposite the first said end 12, the fastener deviceof FIG. 10 has a design corresponding to the RSF nut element (roundshoulder nut with flange) of Profil which is made in accordance withGerman patent P 36 10 675. The upper end 18 of the fastener device 10therefore substantially has the design of a nut element with a flangepart 20 and with a piercing and riveting section 22 which merges intothe flange 20 via a shoulder 24 extending substantially radially, withrotational security features 26 also being provided in the region of theshoulder. A thread cylinder 28, which extends further in the directionof the central region of the fastener device 10 in this embodiment, islocated within the flange part.

Although the upper end 18 of the fastener device is provided with aself-piercing design in the form of the piercing and riveting section22, in this variant of the embodiment the piercing and riveting sectionis not used for piercing; instead the second component 30 also designedas a shaped sheet metal part is pre-pierced. The hole is shown at 32 andis coaxial to the longitudinal axis 31 of the fastener device 10 and tothe lower joint 11 made by a forming technique to the first component14.

There are substantially two reasons why the piercing and rivetingsection 22 is not used for self-piercing here. Primarily, there is aproblem in that when the piercing and riveting section 22 is used topierce the hole 32 in the component 30, the slug would close the upperend of the fastener device 10 and thus prevent access to the threadcylinder. It would, however, be possible to subsequently remove theslug. But the fastener device 10 would have to be made hollow for thispurpose so that a corresponding plunger could be inserted from the lowerend. This can certainly be realized. However, after the making of theform-locked joint 12, it would then first be necessary to remove theslug 33 located there.

The second reason why the piercing and riveting section 22 is not usedto pierce the hole 32 here is that this self-piercing function isnormally only used for metal sheet thickness of up to 2 mm. In theembodiment of FIG. 1, however, the second component 30 is made of twometal sheets on top of one another which have a total thickness of morethan 2 mm. It is, however, by no means problematic that the piercing andriveting section 22 is not self-piercing. There is instead even anadvantage in this respect which can be seen from a comparison of theembodiments of FIGS. 1 and 2.

The rounded drawing edge 34 of the piercing and riveting section namelyserves to align the second component 30 with respect to the firstcomponent 14. As a rule, not just one fastener device 10 is provided,but rather a second or a plurality of further fastener devices which arearranged at positions spaced from one another. These can then take overthe task of aligning the two components 14 and 30 with respect to oneanother.

FIG. 2 shows the position after the alignment of the two components 14and 30 relative to one another and, however, also shows a die 40 whichis arranged beneath the first component 14, and an upper die 42 which isarranged in the plunger of a setting head and is used to rivet thepiercing and riveting section 22 to the second component 30. The exactdesign of this die 42 is not described here as it is actually well-knowndue to the familiarity of the RSF elements. The corresponding method isadditionally described in detail for the RSF nut element in Germanpatent 36 10 675.

The joint between the two components 14 and 30 and the fastener device10 arranged therebetween has the appearance shown in FIG. 3 after theriveting of the piercing and riveting section 22 to the second component30. It can be seen that the piercing and riveting section 22 has beenformed into a peripheral rivet flange 44 by the pressing of the jointbetween the two dies 40 and 42.

It can also be seen that the two components 14 and 30 now touch closelyat two points, namely at points 46 and 48. The structure formed in thisway is now completed by the carrying out of welding at points 46 and 48.Then a third component (not shown) can be screwed to the componentassembly of FIG. 3 by means of a bolt, with the thread of the bolt beingscrewed into the thread cylinder 28 of the fastener device 10.

The invention is further explained below by means of furtherembodiments, with identical parts being provided with the same referencenumerals and these parts substantially only being described again ifproperties are of significance which differ from the properties of thecorresponding parts in the embodiment in accordance with FIGS. 1, 2 and3.

FIG. 4 shows a view partly sectioned in a longitudinal direction of afurther fastener device 10 whose upper end is basically designed inaccordance with the lower end of the fastener device 10 of theembodiment of FIG. 1, but only with the difference that the upper end,like the whole fastener device 10, is hollow and has a thread cylinder28. The lower end 12 of the fastener device of FIG. 4 is made in thisexample in accordance with an RSN nut element of the Profil company,i.e. corresponding to a nut element in accordance with European patent 0539 739, so that the exact design of the corresponding features of shapeis not described in detail here. The nut element-like design at thelower end 12 of the fastener device 10 of FIG. 4 is made with a somewhatlarger diameter, i.e. substantially corresponding to the so-called RNDnut elements of the company of Profil.

The joint of the lower end 12 of the fastener device 10 to the firstcomponent 14 is shown in FIG. 5. It can be seen that the correspondingshaped sheet metal part has a conical collar 50 between the flange 52 atthe lower end of the fastener device 12 and the riveting section 54deformed by the riveting procedure, with this bent-around rivetingsection being planar with the lower side of the component 14 in thisembodiment, in accordance with one of the advantages of the clampinghole method, which is particularly favorable during the bolting offurther components to the lower side of the component 14.

When carrying out the clamping hole method, the conical collar 50 isfirst set somewhat steeper and then pressed flatter during the joiningprocess, whereby a high-quality joint connection is created. The nosesproviding security against rotation, which are not shown here, but whichare present, ensure that no rotation of the fastening device 10 occurswith respect to the sheet metal part 14 when a screw is inserted.

FIG. 5, however, also shows the joint between the upper end 18 of thefastener device 10 of FIG. 4 to the second component 30. This joint issubstantially identical in design to the design at the lower end 12 ofFIG. 1, but for one exception.

The sheet metal part 14 is pre-pierced during the carrying out of theclamping hole process in the lower region of the fastener device 10.After this joint has been made, i.e. at the first lower end of thefastener device 10, the second component 30 is then placed over the notyet deformed piercing and riveting section 22 of the fastener device 10of FIG. 4 and subsequently turned over into a flange as shown in FIG. 5.As the component 30 is pre-pierced here, no slug is created, unlike thedesign in the lower part of FIG. 1. It would, however, easily bepossible to utilize the self-piercing function of the piercing andriveting section 22 of the fastener device 10 of FIG. 1, whereby then aslug would arise which would close the upper end 18 of the fastenerdevice 10 of FIG. 5. The slug can, however, be removed if desired via aplunger which is led through the hollow fastener device 10.

The formation of both the first joint made by a forming technique in theregion of the first component 14 and the second joint made by a formingtechnique in the region of the second component 30 takes place in bothcases in a press. Use is made of the appropriate die and the appropriatepressing plunger which are described precisely in the relevant patentapplications covering the different types of fastening so that theseparts are not described further here.

FIG. 6 only shows that the fastener device 10 can also be attached to acomponent in the region of the lower end 12 comprising two layers ofsheet metal 56 and 58. The joint made by a forming technique in theregion of the upper end 18 of the fastener device 10 can—if desired—alsobe made with two or more layers of sheet metal.

FIG. 7 now shows three fastener devices 10 designed in accordance withthe fastener device 10 of FIG. 4, but having three different lengths.

For illustration purposes, all three fastener devices 10 of FIG. 7 areinserted spaced from one another into different regions of the twocomponents 14 and 30, whereby a step-like design is created. While thisdesign can easily be realized, it was chosen more to make clear thedifferent lengths of the different fastener devices 10.

It can be seen that for all three fastener devices 10 of FIG. 7, thejoints made by a forming technique to the respective components 14 or 30are made at both ends 12 and 18 in exactly the same way as shown in FIG.5.

FIG. 7, however, also shows how a third component 60 is fastened to thecomponent assembly 62 of FIG. 7, via three screws 64 here, with the headpart 66 of each bolt 64 contacting the third component 60 and the shaftpart 67 extending through the third component 60, the first component 14and partially through the fastener device 10 and the thread 68 of eachbolt 64 being screwed into the thread cylinder 28 of the respectivefastener device 10.

As the thread cylinder 28 is spaced relatively far away from the firstcomponent 14, relatively long screws, which can then be designed aswaisted bolts, can be used for all three fastener devices 10 of FIG. 7.

The fastener devices of FIGS. 4, 5, 6 and 7 have particular advantagesfor the intended application. On the one hand, the annular flange 52ensures that each fastener device 10 is precisely at right angles to thefirst component 14. The joint in the region of the first component isalso capable of accepting shear and pressure torque statically anddynamically without problem thanks to the comparatively large diameterof the part 52. The joint in the region of the deformed riveting section54 serves, on the one hand, for security against press-out and, on theother hand, for rotational security of the fastener device 10 withrespect to the first component 14.

The riveting section 22 at the second end 18 of the fastener device 10ensures a high-quality centering and positioning of the second component30 with respect to the first component 14 when the second component 30is being assembled with the first component 14. The noses providingsecurity against rotation in the shoulder region around the piercing andriveting section 22 increase the rotational security of the jointbetween the fastener device and the two components. In addition, thejoint in the region of the end 18 is also capable of accepting shear andpressure forces. Furthermore, a good seal is achieved for both the jointto the first component 14 made by a forming technique and for the jointto the second component 30 made by a forming technique, which can bemade liquid-tight without any problem and ensures a gas-tight joint withexact tolerances. Moreover, in this case—as also with every other jointaddressed in this application—a sealing adhesive can also be used ifabsolute gas-tightness is required.

It is easy to understand that a dynamic tilting movement of the fastenerdevice 10 with respect to the first component 14 can be excluded by thelength of the fastener device 10 and of the other joints between the twocomponents 14 and 30 so that the joint is capable of withstandingdynamic stresses without problem. The structure has a great strength sothat it is particularly suitable for the attachment of other highstiffness components, for example the component 60.

FIG. 8 shows a further embodiment in accordance with the invention ofthe fastener device 10, with the lower end 12 being made in accordancewith the upper end 18 of the fastener device 10 of FIG. 1, i.e. inaccordance with the RSF nut element of Profil. The upper end 18 of theone-piece fastener device 10 shown in FIG. 8 is, however, made as ablind-rivet sleeve 70. The fastener device 10 has a tightening mandrel72 having a shaft part 74, a head part 76 and a position of fracture 78.The lower region of the shaft part 74 is provided with cross-knurling80. The point of this design is to generate features of shape whichavoid slippage when a drawing tool is applied. These features of shape80 can also have any other shape which serves the given purpose.

It can be seen that the rivet sleeve 70 merges into a first shoulder 82extending radially to the axial direction 31 of the fastener device 10,with the transition taking place via a second annular shoulder 84 whosediameter is greater than the diameter of the blind-rivet sleeve 70, butsmaller than the outer diameter of the annular shoulder 82.

The fastener device 10 of FIG. 8 is first inserted in a first sheetmetal part 14, with the design in the region of the lower end 12 of thefastener device 10 in FIG. 9 corresponding to the design of thecorresponding lower end 12 of the fastener device 10 of FIG. 1.

The second component 30 is also pre-pierced here and, as shown on theleft-hand side of FIG. 9, provided with a conical collar 90 whichextends in a direction away from the first component 14. The conicalcollar 90 bounds a hole 92 having a diameter slightly greater than theouter diameter of the annular shoulder 84, but smaller than the outerdiameter of the annular shoulder 82.

When the mandrel 74 is tightened in the direction of arrow 94 (with asimultaneous pushing away of the component 14 in the oppositedirection), the head part 76 of the mandrel deforms the blind-rivetsleeve 70 into an annular flange 96 and presses the conical annularcollar 90 back flat again so that a design is created as shown at thetop right in FIG. 9. As soon as this position is reached, the shaft part74 of the mandrel 72 breaks at the position of fracture 78. The lowerend of the shaft part 74 shown in FIG. 9 can then be removed. It can beseen, in particular from FIG. 8, that the lower side of the head 76 ofthe mandrel 72 has a rounded undercut 98 in the region of the transitionto the shaft part 74. When the rivet sleeve 70 is being deformed,material of the rivet sleeve is also displaced into this roundedundercut. This leads to the head part 76 of the mandrel being held inthe fastener device 10 with the shaft part in a force-transmittingand/or form-locked manner above the fracture position and cannot belost. If, for some reason, the head part of the mandrel should beremoved, for example to attain access to a female thread in the upperregion of the fastener device 10 of FIG. 9 (not shown in FIG. 9), thenthis rounded undercut 98 can be omitted.

It can be seen that the fracture position 78 is above the threadcylinder 28 in the FIG. 9 embodiment so that the rest of the mandreldoes not prevent the insertion of a screw into the thread cylinder 28from below.

FIG. 10 shows a modified version of the lower end 12 of the fastenerdevice 10 of FIG. 8. The lower end is here made in correspondence withthe lower end 12 of the fastener device 10 of FIGS. 4 and 5, with FIG.10 showing the embodiment before the attachment of the first component14 and FIG. 11 the position after the attachment to the first component14.

FIG. 12 shows a version similar to FIG. 9, but of a further modificationof the fastener device 10. In this case, the joint with the secondcomponent 30 is not made at the upper end of the fastener device 10, butin a region 100 spaced from the first lower end, with the upper end 18′of the fastener device 10 now protruding away from the side of thesecond component 30 remote from the first component 14 after the pullingup of the blind-rivet joint. This could, for example, be of advantage ifthe upper end 18′ were fitted with a further thread cylinder 102 so thatanother part could be screwed on here. For example, with the embodimentof FIG. 12, the one end of a shock absorber could be screwed to thecomponent 14 while utilizing the thread cylinder 28, while the threadcylinder 102 serves the fastening of a brake line.

FIG. 13 shows a further embodiment in accordance with the invention of afastener device 10 which has the already described features of shape ofthe SBF element in the region of its lower end 12, but which is madehollow here with a thread cylinder 28—as is also shown in the FIG. 4embodiment.

FIG. 14 shows a possible attachment of the lower end 12 to a cup-likefirst component 14. The upper end 18 of the fastener device 10 of FIG.14 is then bonded to a second component 30. The two components 14 and 30are subsequently welded to one another at the positions 46 and 48. Athird component 60 is subsequently screwed to the component assemblycomprising the components 14 and 30 by means of a bolt 64, with thethreaded part of the bolt 64 being screwed into the thread cylinder 28of the fastener device 10. The adhesive bonding to the second component30 can optionally be omitted here.

FIG. 15 shows an embodiment very similar to the embodiment in accordancewith FIG. 7. Here, the fastener device 10 is made in three parts. Itconsists at its end 12 of an RND element 12A from Profil, at its end 18of an RSF or SBF element 18A (realized in the case of the SBF element asa nut instead of a bolt element) and of a spacer tube 112 therebetweeen.The joint between the spacer tube 112 and the element 12A at the lowerend 12 and the element 18A at the upper end 18 can be carried out, forexample, by welding. The thread of the bolt 64 engages the threadcylinder in element 18A at the end 18 of the fastener device 10.

FIG. 15 shows how fastener devices 10 of different lengths can begenerated by utilizing spacer tubes of different lengths, with no spacertube at all being used with the fastener device 10 in the bottommostembodiment. The joint between the two elements 12A, 18A and the spacertube 112 can also be made otherwise. For example, the elements and thespacer tube could be fastened to one another by an adhesive bond. Thisis easily sufficiently secure in some cases since all joints are loadedin compression when the screw 64 is tightened.

The embodiment in accordance with FIG. 16 is similar to that of FIG. 15,except that here the spacer tube 112 is pressed (optionally adhered)into a cylindrical recess 116 of the element 12A at the end 12 of thefastener device 10, whereby a secure joint is ensured between the spacertube 112 and the element. A corresponding joint would actually also bepossible with the element at the end 18. However, it may be better toomit an interengagement of the two parts here so that a more simplealignment of the two elements is possible when the screw is inserted.The joint between the element at the end 18 and the spacer tube 112 can,however, also be welded in the FIG. 16 embodiment.

In the bottommost embodiment of the fastener device in accordance withthe invention of FIG. 16, the end of the element 18A engages with theend 18 of the fastener device directly into the cylindrical recess 116of the element 12A at the end 12.

In FIG. 17, the fastener device is made in two parts, with the lower endof the fastener device 10 being formed by the end 12 of the spacer tube112 and this being received in a cup-like recess 115 in the firstcomponent 14 and being capable of being pressed in, bonded or weldedthere. The joint between the spacer tube 112 and the element at theother end 18 of the fastener device 10 is carried out such as describedin connection with FIGS. 15 and 16. In the bottommost embodiment of thefastener device 10 of FIG. 17, the spacer tube 112 is an integralcomponent of the element 18A which is connected by a forming techniqueto the component 30.

A three-part embodiment of the fastener device 10 is present in FIG. 18.Two identical fastener elements 12A, 18A are used here in the form ofRND nut elements from Profil, with a spacer tube 112 being arrangedtherebetween to make the three-part fastener element 10. In theseembodiments, the elements 12A, 18A each have a cylindrical part 122which is pressed into a respective end of the spacer tube. The jointsbetween the individual elements 12A, 18A and the spacer tube 112 can beselected freely, i.e. for example, with a fit as a force fit, by anadhesive bonding, as a welded joint or as a pinched joint.

FIG. 19 shows a similar embodiment to FIG. 18, except that here thespacer tube 112 is provided with cylindrical recesses 123 at its twoends so that it is made with a thicker wall at its middle between thetwo elements than in the embodiment of FIG. 18. The stability isincreased even further in this way.

The embodiment in accordance with FIG. 20 is performed while utilizingshaped sheet metal parts 14 and 30 which each have cup-like recesses 115corresponding to FIG. 17. A multi-part fastener device 10 is alsoutilized here. It comprises an element 18A made as an RND element andconnected in a form-locked manner to the second component 30. The secondpart of the fastener device 10 consists of a spacer tube 112 havingcylindrical annular flanges 117 at its two ends which sit in form-filledmanner in the respective cup-like recesses 115. The joints between theends of the spacer tube 112 and the respective recesses can be madefreely, for example as a fit, a force fit or by means of a bond or weld.

FIG. 21 then shows an embodiment corresponding to the previous FIG. 19,with, however, the two elements being pressed into the respective endsof the spacer tube 112 and this having ribs or grooves 119 extending inan axial direction which serve for rotational security. A radial pinchedjoint can also be made between the elements and the spacer tube.

FIG. 22 again shows an alternative, three-part embodiment of a fastenerdevice, here while utilizing two circular elements 12A, 18A which eachhave a flange 130 having a first diameter and a cylindrical part 132having a smaller diameter than the flange 130. The cylindrical part 132,which has a chamfer 134 at its end remote from the flange 130, isinserted in the component 14 or 30 through a corresponding hole 136 or138 respectively. The arrangement is made such that the two flanges 130of the two elements are on opposite sides of the first and secondcomponents 14 and 30, the ends 140 of the two elements face one another.The end 140 of the element 18A is provided with a conical recess 141which is intended as an insertion aid for the tip of a bolt. This typeof insertion aid is particularly of importance when the inner diameterof the spacer tube 112 is much greater than the outer diameter of thebolt, as such a difference in diameter involves the risk of the bolttilting which can be overcome by means of such an insertion aid,optionally with a corresponding design of the free end of the bolt, forexample with a conical tip. Another possibility of overcoming this riskof tilting, which makes the insertion of the bolt more difficult or evenimpossible and could even lead to thread damage, is described below inconnection with FIGS. 25A to D. Both the conical inserting aid and thecorresponding centering sleeve in accordance with FIGS. 25A to D can beused in all other embodiments where there is a risk of tilting.

A spacer tube 112 having a peripheral annular nose 142 at its two endsis located between the two components 14, 30. The upper element has athread cylinder 28, the lower element a cylindrical bore 28A whosediameter is somewhat greater than the outer diameter of the threadcylinder 28. The arrangement is pressed together by pressure. Duringthis pressure, the annular noses 142 displace material of the twocomponents 14, 30 so that the displaced material is formed intorespective annular grooves 144 of the elements 12A, 18A, whereby aform-locked joint is created between the two components 14 and 30 andthe respective elements 12A and 18A. The chamfers 134 make the slippingin of the respective elements into the spacer tube 112 more simple. Thecylindrical region 132 has a diameter which is slightly greater than theinner diameter of the spacer tube 112 so that a force fit is createdhere.

When a third component 60 is attached to the first component 14, a screwelement 64 is inserted through the through bore 28A of the first element12A and screwed together with the thread cylinder 28 of the secondelement 18A. The screw connection provides additional security of thejoint of the three elements to a fastener device 10.

FIG. 23 basically shows the same arrangement as FIG. 22, but it showsthat the fastener element can here in inserted in bent regions of therespective sheet metal parts 14 or 30.

FIG. 24 shows a one-piece fastener device 10 similar to FIG. 4, with,however, the two ends of the fastener device being offset with respectto one another, Such an embodiment can sometimes be of help with specialinstallations when particular space restrictions exist. It is alsopossible to equip the fastener device of FIG. 24 with two threadcylinders 28, 102, with, for example, the thread cylinder 28 at thelower end of the fastener device in FIG. 24 serving the attachment of athird component 60, while the thread cylinder 102 at the upper end ofthe fastener device can be used for the attachment of an additionalpart, for example, a brake line fastener.

The drawings of FIGS. 25A to D, finally, show a possible method for themaking of a joint in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 25A first shows a first sheet metal part 14 in a tool 149 having acentering mandrel 150. The sheet metal part 14 has a recess U-shaped incross-section in whose base region a first hollow element correspondingto the middle element 12A of FIG. 18 is fastened by a forming technique.The formation comprising the sheet metal part 14 with the elements 12Ais placed over the centering mandrel 150. The two lateral, horizontalregions 14A and 14B are situated on respective welding electrodes 152and 154 respectively. A loose centering sleeve 156, which is made, forexample, of plastic and which can optionally be slit to save weight, islocated on the centering mandrel above the element 12A.

FIG. 25B shows the formation of FIG. 25A, with, however, the spacingtube 112 now being placed over the centering sleeve and being optionallycapable of being pressed onto the cylindrical projection 158 of theelement 12A if a force fit is present. Alternatively thereto, forexample, an adhesive bond or a joint having play could be present. Thespacer tube 112 could, however, also be fastened to element 12A by oneof the methods given above before its attachment or be welded thereto orformed in a one-piece fashion therewith.

A second sheet metal part 30 is located above the sheet metal part 14and is provided with a nut element 18A in accordance with FIG. 18, withthe element 18A already being riveted to the sheet metal part 30. Theassembly part consisting of the nut element 18A and the sheet metal part30 is now placed in a centered fashion over the sheet metal part 14 andthe element 12A with spacer tube 112 while utilizing the centeringmandrel. The cylindrical projection 160 of the nut element 18A isoptionally pressed or bonded into the free end of the spacer tube orsunk therein with play. The two sheet metal parts are welded together bymeans of two further welding electrodes 162, 164.

FIG. 25 then shows the completed construction after removal from thetool 149 and after attachment of a component 60 by means of a bolt 64.The centering sleeve 156 prevents the tilting of the bolt 64 during itsinsertion. Instead of first riveting the element 18A to the sheet metalpart 30, the element 18A could first be connected to the spacer tube andthen riveted to the sheet metal part. The fastener device comprising theelement 12A, the spacer tube 112, the centering sleeve 156 and theelement 18A could also be prefabricated as a unit, then riveted to thesheet metal part 18 or 30 and subsequently riveted to the respectiveother sheet metal part 30 or 18 either before or after its weldfastening to the sheet metal part 18 or 30.

The components are preferably sheet metal parts, but can also beextruded parts or be made of another material, for example, of plastic.

1. A method of making a joint between a first and a second componentusing a fastener having a first end with an adjacent flange having adiameter greater than a first tubular barrel portion and a second endhaving a second tubular barrel portion merging into a shoulder of aflanged part having a greater diameter than said second tubular barrelportion, characterized by the following steps: a) making a joint betweensaid first end of said fastener and said first component by deformingsaid first tubular barrel portion radially outwardly thereby sandwichingsaid first component between said flange and said first tubular barrelportion; b) introducing said second end of said fastener through a holein said second component by applying said second component to said firstcomponent, whereby said shoulder of said flanged part abuts said secondcomponent spacing said second component from said first component; c)fastening said fastener to said second component by deforming saidsecond tubular barrel portion radially outwardly thereby sandwichingsaid second component between said shoulder and said second tubularbarrel portion; and d) optionally fixedly attaching said two componentsat one or more positions remote from the fastener device, with step d)being performable either before or after step c); wherein step a)comprises piercing said first component with said first end of saidfastener.
 2. A method of making a joint between a first and secondcomponent using a fastener having a first end with an adjacent flangehaving a diameter greater than a first tubular barrel portion and asecond end having a second tubular barrel portion merging into ashoulder of a flanged part having a greater diameter than said secondbarrel portion, characterized by the following steps: a) making a jointbetween said first end of said fastener and said first component bydeforming said first tubular barrel portion radially outwardly therebysandwiching said first component between said flange and said firsttubular barrel portion; b) introducing said second end of said fastenerthrough a hole in said second component by applying said secondcomponent to said first component, whereby said shoulder of said flangedpart abuts said second component spacing said second component from saidfirst component; c) fastening said fastener to said second component bydeforming said second tubular barrel portion radially outwardly therebysandwiching said second component between said shoulder and said secondtubular barrel portion; and d) optionally fixedly attaching said twocomponents at one or more positions remote from the fastener device,with step d) being performable either before or after step c) whereinsaid fastener includes a first element being attachable to said firstcomponent and a second element being insertable into the secondcomponent and adjoining said elements by one of inserting a fastenerthrough said two elements and bolting a threaded shaft of one of saidelements to the other of said elements.
 3. A method of making a jointbetween a first and second component using a fastener having a first endwith an adjacent flange having a diameter greater than a first tubularbarrel portion and a second end having a second tubular barrel portionmerging into a shoulder of a flanged pan having a greater diameter thansaid second barrel portion, characterized by the following steps: a)making a joint between said first end of said fastener and said firstcomponent by deforming said first tubular barrel portion radiallyoutwardly thereby sandwiching said first component between said flangeand said first tubular barrel portion; b) introducing said second end ofsaid fastener through a hole in said second component by applying saidsecond component to said first component, whereby said shoulder of saidflanged part abuts said second component spacing said second componentfrom said first component; c) fastening said fastener to said secondcomponent by deforming said second tubular barrel portion radiallyoutwardly thereby sandwiching said second component between saidshoulder and said second tubular barrel portion; and d) optionallyfixedly attaching said two components at one or more positions remotefrom the fastener device, with step d) being performable either beforeor after step c); and wherein step of providing said fastener includesproviding a first element component as set forth in step a) and a secondelement joinable to the second component as set forth in steps b) and c)and a third element insertable between said first and second elementsprior to performing step c).
 4. A method of supporting panel members inspaced relation and forming a panel assembly, comprising the followingsteps: forming an opening in a first of said panel members, inserting afirst end portion of a fastener element having an abutment into saidpanel member opening and clinching said first end of said fastenerelement to said one of said panel members by deforming a portion of saidfastener element radially outwardly over said first of said panelmembers positioning said panel member between said abutment and saidfastener element being deformed radially outwardly; forming an openingin a second of said of said panel members, and overlaying said second ofsaid panel members upon said first of said panel members therebycoaxially aligning said first opening in said first panel with saidsecond opening in said second panel; inserting a second end of saidfastener element having a second shoulder into said opening in saidsecond of said panel members and clinching said second end of saidfastener element to said second of said panel members by deforming aportion of said fastener element radially outwardly over said second ofsaid panel members thereby pinching said panel member between saidshoulder and said panel member being deformed radially outwardly;wherein said method further includes piercing said opening in said firstpanel member with said first end of said fastener element.
 5. The methodof supporting panel members in spaced relation and forming a panelassembly as defined in claim 4, wherein said fastener element first andsecond end portions are tubular and said fastener element includes aradial flange portion adjacent to one of said tubular end portions butspaced from the other of said tubular end portions, said methodincluding inserting said tubular end portions of said fastener elementthrough said openings in said first and second panel members andclinching said fastener member tubular end portions to said panelmembers by radially deforming said tubular end portions of said fastenerelement.
 6. A method of supporting panel members in spaced relation andforming a panel assembly, comprising the following steps: forming anopening in a first of said panel members, inserting a first end portionof a fastener element having an abutment into said panel member openingand clinching said first end of said fastener element to said one ofsaid panel members by deforming a portion of said fastener element atsaid first end radially outwardly over said first of said panel memberspositioning said panel member between said abutment and said portion ofsaid fastener element at said first end being deformed radiallyoutwardly; forming an opening in a second of said panel members, andoverlying said second of said panel members upon said first of saidpanel members thereby coaxially aligning said first opening in saidfirst panel with said second opening in said second panel; inserting asecond end of said fastener element having a second shoulder into saidopening in said second of said panel members and clinching said secondend of said fastener element to said second of said panel members bydeforming a portion of said fastener element at said second end radiallyoutwardly over said second of said panel members thereby pinching saidpanel member between said shoulder and said portion of said fastenerelement at said second end being deformed radially outwardly; whereinsaid fastener element comprises a plurality of parts including a firstfemale fastener element, a second female fastener element and tubularspacer element, said first female fastener element including said firstend portion of said fastener element and said second female fastenerelement including said second end portion of said fastener element andsaid female fastener elements having a bore therethrough, said methodincluding the following steps; inserting said first end portion of saidfirst female fastener element in said opening in said one of said panelmembers and clinching said first end portion; securing said tubularspacer element to said first female fastener element generally coaxiallyaligned with said bore through said first female fastener element;inserting said second end portion of said second female element throughsaid opening through said second of said panel members and clinchingsaid second female fastener element to said second of said panelmembers; and securing a second end of said tubular spacer member to saidsecond female fastener element generally coaxially aligned with saidbore through said second female fastener element.